Executive Order 12881: Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council
President: Bill Clinton
Established the cabinet-level National Science and Technology Council to coordinate policy and federal research budgets; the council remains active.
Status: In effect as amended.
Is Executive Order 12881 still in effect? Yes. Continuing White House science-policy council, amended for later departmental changes.
What does Executive Order 12881 do?
EO 12881 established the National Science and Technology Council, chaired by the President, to coordinate executive-branch science and technology policy. It directs agencies to share research and development budget information, asks the council to advise OMB on R&D priorities, and permits committees and task forces. EO 13284 added the Secretary of Homeland Security in 2003. The White House currently describes NSTC as the President’s principal cross-agency science and technology coordination mechanism.
Before and after
Before the order
Several councils coordinated separate science, space and materials functions without EO 12881’s single cabinet-level structure.
After the order
NSTC coordinated policy and R&D-budget advice across departments and could organize specialist committees and task forces.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| NSTC | Coordinate science and technology policy and integrate presidential priorities | Ongoing |
| Executive departments and agencies | Share R&D budget information and coordinate through NSTC | During planning cycles |
| NSTC | Advise OMB on research and development budgets | During budget formulation |
| OSTP and member agencies | Provide leadership, resources and information | As permitted by law |
What happened next
EO 12881 established NSTC.
EO 13284 added Homeland Security to the membership.
The White House continued to operate and describe NSTC under the order.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
NSTC coordinates and advises; it does not displace statutory powers of departments, OMB or Congress’s appropriations role. Agency support remains subject to law and available resources.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 14, 2026. How we research →